Bowling ball



y 4, 1967 E. E. KOPP-ERUD 3,329,429

BOWLI NG BALL Filed March 17, 1965 INVENTOR- ELLEN E. KOPPERUD UnitedStates Patent ()ffice 3,329,429 Patented July 4, 1967 3,329,429 BOWLlNGBALL Ellen E. Kopperud, 2325 N. 50th St., Milwaukee, Wis. 53210 FiledMar. 17, 1965, Ser. No. 440,520 6 Claims. (Cl. 273-63) This inventionrelates to bowling balls, and more particularly to an improvedarrangement of the openings or holes by which the ball is gripped.

A conventional bowling ball is gripped by means of either two or threeholes bored in the outer surface thereof. One of these holes is enlargedto accommodate the thumb, while the other one or two, as the case maybe, are smaller to accommodate the middle and/ or ring fingers of thebowler. The middle and/or ring finger holes are spaced from the thumbhole a sufficient distance to allow the ball to be held firmly butcomfortably with the fingers inserted to the knuckles. In a three fingerball, the middle and ring finger holes are adjacent each other topermitcomfortable gripping of the ball without hand distortion. The ballis thus held by reason of a clamping action exerted by the thumb andmiddle and/ or ring fingers and by the friction between the sides of theholes and the fingers.

While the three-fingered ball is in most common use today, primarily dueto the standard weight of bowling balls, it is generally considered thatthe two-fingered ball produces a more accurate delivery than thesomewhat more conventional three-finger hole grip. As a result,

bowlers frequently follow the practice of using two bowl-- ing balls,namely, a three-fingered ball and a two-fingered ball.

It is desirable also to have the holes in the ball fit the digits of thebowler as closely as possible to reduce the amount of squeezing requiredto hold the ball and the resulting fatigue of the bowlers hand. Theproblem is particularly acute in the case of a two-finger hole grip, asthe squeezing action may be exerted only between the thumb and a singlefinger thereby requiring a high degree of pressure. However, to obtain acoordinated, accurate delivery, it is additionally necessary that thebowlers fingers slide smoothly from the close-fitting holes. To assistin this, the bowler is generally provided with chalk and towels toprepare his hands.

Frequently, in the course of several games, it is a common phenomenon tohave the fingers, and particularly the thumb, of the bowler becomeswollen to the point where the drying action of the towel and anylubricating film or the like are insuflicient to insure a smoothdelivery. Also, considerable dismcomfort may be experienced by thebowler and blistering may result. This too has required many bowlers toutilize two bowling balls,.the second of which is formed with a slightlylarger thumb hole than the first to accommodate an enlarged thumb. This,of course, involves additional expense as well as the inconvenience ofcarrying and storing two heavy balls.

The present invention provides a bowling ball which insures a smooth,accurate delivery regardless of Whether the thumb of the bowler is inits normal state or its swollen state, thereby eliminating the need fora second ball.

Additionally, the bowling ball herein provided includes a grip that isadapted to offer the bowler either a twofinger grip or a three-fingergrip with the thumb in either its normal or abnormally swollen state.

The invention may be better understood by reference to the followingspecification and drawing forming a part thereof, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the bowling ball of the presentinvention showing all of the finger holes thereof;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary section along the line 22 of FIGURE 1 andshowing the differences in size of the two thumb holes somewhatexaggerated; and

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary plan view of a somewhat modified finger holearrangement.

In the drawings, the numeral 1 indicates a bowling ball conventionallyconstructed of a compressed plastic material. In accordance with thepresent invention, the ball is provided with two pairs or sets oflaterally spaced gripping holes. The first pair or set is comprised of athumb hole 3 and a finger hole 5. The second pair or set of holes iscomprised of a thumb hole 7 and a finger hole 9. The diameter of thumbhole 7 is somewhat larger than that of thumb hole 3.

The two pairs of holes 3, 5 and 7, 9 are drilled in the ball so that thebowler may grip the ball in normal three-finger fashion by positioningthe thumb in thumb hole 3, his middle finger in hole 9, and his ringfinger in hole 7. Alternately, the ball may also be gripped bypositioning the thumb in thumb hole 7, the middle finger in hole 3, andthe ring finger in hole 5. Since the thumb hole 7 is larger than thumbhole 3, the latter grip is used in the event the thumb becomes swollenor enlarged.

The exact position of holes 3 through 9 will depend on the dimension ofthe hand and the span between the base of the thumb and the knuckles ofthe middle and ring fingers of the bowler for whom the ball is fitted.However, in general, the holes will be drilled so that a line 11 throughthe centers of thumb hole 3 and finger hole 5 will run approximatelyparallel to a line 13 through the centers of thumb hole 7 and fingerhole 9, while lines 15 and 17 through the centers of thumb holes 3 and 7and the centers of finger holes 5 and 9, respectively, run parallel toeach other and approximately perpendicular to lines 11 and 13.

When desired, as in bowling for spares where accuracy is desired, theball 1 may be gripped with only a single finger and the thumb byinserting the thumb in thumb hole 3 and the middle finger in either thehole 7 or the hole 9 of the opposite pair of holes, whichever span ismost comfortable. As before, if the thumb of the bowler becomes swollenduring a series of games, the larger thumb hole 7 may be used with themiddle finger being placed in either the hole 5 or the hole 3.

The distance or span between thumb hole 7 and finger hole 5 is greaterthan the distance between thumb hole 7 and thumb hole 3, whichaccommodates the middle finger in the three-finger grip, and the same istrue with regard to the other set of holes, 3, 7 and 9. The greater spanbetween the selected thumb and finger hole often aids the bowler inproviding for an increased squeezing action between his swollen thumband his middle finger while permitting him or her to grip the ball withonly the thumb and one finger. Of course, the bowler may grip the ballby inserting his thumb in thumb hole 3 or 7 and his middle finger inhole 7 or 3, thereby utilizing the same span as in the two-finger grip.

If desired by the bowler, the ball may be drilled with the position ofholes 3 and 5 reversed, that is with the center of finger hole 5 at thejunction of lines 11 and 15 and the center of thumb hole 3 at thejunction of lines 11 and 17. See FIGURE 3. This permits the middlefinger to be placed in finger holes 5 or 9 in both the three-finger gripand the two-finger grip. Also, the distance required to be spanned bythe thumb and middle finger may remain the same for both the two-fingergrip and the singlefinger grip, or if an increased span is desired, themiddle 1finlger may be placed in the diagonally opposite thumb It isappreciated that other modifications may be made to the above describedbowling ball, and it is intended to encompass all such changes as fallwithin the attached claims.

Various modes of carryingout the invention are contemplated as beingwithin the scope .of the following claims particularly pointing out anddistinctly claiming the subject matter which is regarded as theinvention.

What is claimed is: 1. A ball for use in the game of bowling includingno more than four gripping holes comprising a first set of holesincluding a first finger hole and a first thumb hole closely spacedapart; and

a second set of holes including a second finger hole and a second thumbhole closely spaced apart, said second thumb hole being of a diiferentdiameter than said first thumb hole, said second finger and thumb holesbeing arcuately spaced from said first thumb and finger holes, thedistances from each of said holes to all the other holes being such thatone bowler may accurately deliver the ball during play with his thumbinserted in the thumb hole of either of said sets and his fingersinserted in the holes of the other set.

2. A ball for use in the game of bowling including no more than fourgripping holes comprising a first setof holes including a first fingerhole and a first thu-mb hole closely spaced apart; and

a second set of holes including a second finger hole and a second thumbhole closely spaced apart, said second thumb hole being of a differentdiameter than said first thumb hole, said second finger and thumb holesbeing arcuately spaced from said first thumb and finger holes and animaginary line connecting the centers of said first thumb and fingerholes being generally parallel to an imaginary line connecting thecenters of said second thumb and finger holes, the distances from eachof said holes to all the other holes being such that one bowler mayaccurately deliver the ball during play with his thumb inserted in thethumb hole of either of said sets and his fingers inserted in the holesof the other set.

3. The bowling ball of claim 2 wherein an imaginary line connecting thecenters of said first thumb hole and said second thumb hole is generallyparallel to an imaginary line connecting the centers of said firstfinger hole and said second finger hole.

4. The bowling ball of claim 3 wherein said line connecting the centersof said first finger and thumb holes and the line connecting the centersof said second finger and thumb holes are generally perpendicular tosaid line connecting the center of said first and second thumb holes andthe line connecting the center of said first and second finger holes.

5. The bowling ball of claim 2 in which an imaginary line connecting thecenters of said first finger hole and said second thumb hole isgenerally parallel to an imaginary line connecting the centers of saidsecond finger hole and said first thumb hole.

6. The bowling ball of claim 5 wherein said line connecting said firstfinger and thumb holes and the line connecting said second finger andthumb holes are generally perpendicular to said line connecting thecenter of said first finger hole and said second thumb hole and saidline connecting the center of said first thumb hole and said secondfinger hole.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,188,868 1/1940 Shepard 273-632,453,036 11/1948 Reitsma 27363 FOREIGN PATENTS 538,234 6/ 1922 France.

ANTON O. OECHSLE, Primary Examiner.

RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Examiner.

G. J. MARLO, Assistant Examiner.

1. A BALL FOR USE IN THE GAME OF BOWLING INCLUDING NO MORE THAN FOURGRIPPING HOLES COMPRISING A FIRST SET OF HOLES INCLUDING A FIRST FINGERHOLE AND A FIRST THUMB HOLE CLOSELY SPACED APART; AND A SECOND SET OFHOLES INCLUDING A SECOND FINGER HOLE AND A SECOND THUMB HOLE CLOSELYSPACED APART, SAID SECOND THUMB HOLE BEING OF A DIFFERENT DIAMETER THANSAID FIRST THUMB HOLE, SAID SECOND FINGER AND THUMB HOLES BEINGARCUATELY SPACED FROM SAID FIRST THUMB AND FINGER HOLES, THE DISTANCESFROM EACH OF SAID HOLES TO ALL THE OTHER HOLES BEING SUCH THAT ONEBOWLER MAY ACCURATELY DELIVER THE BALL DURING PLAY WITH HIS THUMBINSERTED IN THE THUMB HOLE OF EITHER OF SAID SETS AND HIS FINGERSINSERTED IN THE HOLES OF THE OTHER SET.